Nikon FTN Finder Question/ Mystery Button

[steve_levine]

<p>What's the white button next to the finder? My camera , the first photo doesn't have this. Both cameras are from the same serial number block. Both Nikon FTN's c 1967.</p><div></div>

[steve_levine]

<p>The button is just to the left of the "F" on the finder.</p><div></div>

[greg_mckinney1]

<p>I think that button releases the locking pins that hold the finder on the camera body. Later models replaced the button with a lever. I used a Nikon FTn back in the day, the one I had used a lever to release the finder. I would like someone else to confirm my memory.</p>

[kelly_flanigan1]

<p>The first photo is a Photomic T; the second a Photomic Tn; ie two different meters!</p>

[greg_mckinney1]

<p>I didn't see the second photo when I responded. Now I see the "white" button.... I think that's a battery check.</p>

[kelly_flanigan1]

<p>Neither finder is a Photomic FTn the first photo is a Photomic T; the second a Photomic Tn</p>

[william__bill__crabill]

<p>Yes, your 'White Button" model is a Nikkor F Photomic TN, This version can be recognized by the battery test button and a white engraved letter N on the top of the unit.<br>

See 'The Complete Nikon System' by Peter Braczko, pg 56.</p>

[kelly_flanigan1]

<p>Early Nikon F meters were self powered; ie no batteries ie external Selenium meter.<br /> <br /> They we got the Photomic . This means CDS cells and a battery<br /> <br /> The Photomic F uses an EXTERNAL METER CELL<br /> <br /> With the Photomic T it is a TTL thru the lens meter; the T is for TTL; ie thru the lens<br /> <br /> With the Photomic Tn it is a centerweighted TTL meter; N is for narrow<br /> <br /> With the Photomic FTn to it is centerweighted; TTL and auto indexing ( it has a scale on the finder) yours does not.<br>

<br /> On a Ftn the slot is smaller; and it has a colored labeled fstop scale to show indexing. many folks think a Tn is an Ftn or a T is an Ftn.<br>

If one looks in a 1969 Camera magazine ; they were still selling NEW Nikon F's with Photomic Tn's as new old stock. Often overseas these were sold to GI's too</p>

[steve_levine]

<p>So I have a Photomic TN , and never knew it? I've only owned this camera since it was 3 years old, c 1970. It's meter was dead on accurate for years, until it succumbed to old age about 10 years ago. It even ran fine with the non merc batts (air cells).</p>

<p>I bought it used with a 6 month store warranty from OLDEN Camera of Herald Square fame. The price? As I recall I paid $250 for the body w/ finder, and an extra $50 for the 50/F1.4. Both were like new in their boxes at that time, about a million frames ago.</p>

<p>I'm not sure what $300 1970 dollars equals today?</p>

<p> </p>

[jim_momary]

<p>What cost $<strong>300</strong> in 1970 would cost $<strong>1645.76</strong> in 2008. <br>

<a href="http://www.westegg.com/inflation/">http://www.westegg.com/inflation/</a><br>

Only works so far up to 2008.<br>

Jim</p>

[Matthew Currie]

<p>Just about the same time you were buying that TN, I was buying my first F, at Olden or some one of its neighbors, now forgotten, but I couldn't swing the price for the TN, so I got a plain Photomic, also with a brand new 1.4 lens. I paid $200 for the whole thing, and that was quite a stretch. I had it for years until I traded up to an FTn in about 1980, but I still have the lens and I still have that FTn as well.</p>

<p>By the way, you can't quite call the FTn indexing "automatic." It's semi-automatic, since you do have to turn the aperture ring to max after mounting to set it. If you don't it won't meter right.</p>

<p> </p>

[kelly_flanigan1]

<p>The FTn uses a semi automatic aperture gizmo; sort of like the Nikkormat Ftn.<br /> <br /> When the Nikon Photomic FTn was marketed they used the term "automatic"; Since it automaically indexed the lens once one twisted the fstop ring back and forth. It was called automatic when I was at a Nikon School back in 1969; taught by a National Geographic photographer.<br /> <br /> In real old finders one had the rotate scale and set the max fstop to the asa; a slow process.<br /> <br /> With a Ftn the lens automatcally couples the lens to the meter. (after one has twisteed the fstop ring). It was marked as automatic at the time.; since it was radically quicker.<br>

The quick automatic Ftn photomic also added shutter speeds visiable in the finder too</p>